How Long
Rod Stewart Lyrics


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How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?

Well your friends and their fancy persuasion
Don't admit that it's part of a scheme,
But I can't help but have my suspicions
'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem.
Well you said you was never intending
To break up our scene in this way,
But there ain't any use in pretending
It could happen to us any day,

How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?
How long and how long has this been going on?
How long and how long has this been going on?
How long baby?

Oh, your friends and their gentle persuasion
Don't admit that it's part of a scheme,
But I can't help but have my suspicions,
'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem.

Well you said you was never intending
To break up our scene in this way,
But there ain't any use in pretending
It could happen to us any day,

Tell me honey
How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?
How long and how long has this been going on,
Going on, going on?
How long has this been going on?

How long has this been going on,
Going on, going on, going on?
How long, honey, oh, has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on, going on, going on, going on?
How long has this been going on, going on, going on?

You been treated me mad you been treated me bad
And it's been going on, going on, going on
I ain't quite as dumb as I seem.




I ain't quite the fool you mean
But it's been going on, going on, going on, going on.

Overall Meaning

The song "How Long" by Rod Stewart is an emotional ballad about a man suspecting his significant other of cheating on him, and expressing his concerns and frustrations with the situation. The repetition of the question "how long has this been going on?" is a testament to his confusion and desperation to know the truth. The opening lyrics set the tone for the rest of the song, with the man questioning how long his partner has been unfaithful and expressing his suspicions about her friends' involvement in the situation.


The second verse finds the man exasperated with his partner's denials, as she claims to have no intention of breaking up the relationship while they continue to drift apart. The third verse, however, reveals the man's reservations about the relationship from the start, as he admits he is not as naive as he may have seemed in the past. The song concludes with the man pleading with his partner to reveal the truth about their relationship and how long she has been deceiving him.


In summary, "How Long" is a heartfelt plea from a man grappling with the reality of a partner's infidelity, expressing his frustrations, and begging for the truth. Rod Stewart's soulful delivery of the lyrics captures the essence of the song's emotional complexity, and remains a classic ballad to this day.


Line by Line Meaning

How long has this been going on?
The singer is questioning how long the situation has been happening.


Well your friends and their fancy persuasion Don't admit that it's part of a scheme, But I can't help but have my suspicions 'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem.
The singer suspects something fishy is going on due to the persuasive influence of their partner's friends.


Well you said you was never intending To break up our scene in this way, But there ain't any use in pretending It could happen to us any day,
The singer's partner claimed to have no intention of breaking up, but the situation may change at any moment.


Oh, your friends and their gentle persuasion Don't admit that it's part of a scheme, But I can't help but have my suspicions, 'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seem.
The singer once again emphasizes their suspicion towards the partner's friends and their hidden agenda.


Tell me honey How long has this been going on? How long has this been going on? How long and how long has this been going on, Going on, going on?
The singer is pleading with their partner to come clean about the situation and reveal how long it has been happening.


You been treated me mad you been treated me bad And it's been going on, going on, going on I ain't quite as dumb as I seem. I ain't quite the fool you mean But it's been going on, going on, going on, going on.
The singer accuses their partner of mistreating them and acknowledges that they are not as oblivious to the situation as their partner may think.




Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore
Written by: PAUL MELVYN CARRACK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Sol Xavier

Pode passar 100, 200 anos e essa música ainda vai me emocionar profundamente!!!! Amo Demais!!!! Rod Stewart Voz Maravilhosa

Stela Closs

IDEM ❤️

Oráculos do Sol Terapias Holísticas

Hoje,ele está idoso,mas sempre será um dos ícones do pop rock 😁🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️ AdOoooroOOO,esta música ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Wagner Macchi

Bacana demais, essa tem Alto significado a Mim, éum Modelo de algo muito forte e Grandioso, de Tempos passados..!! Felicidades..!!...

alex lymarev

I was in a soviet military. And I was in hospital. Rod helped me to recover. With his music. Absolutely thru.

Selma van

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Kathy Vandusen

I've been in love with him for over fifty years. He was and still is my favorite singer.Got to love that voice.

Penny

I'm With you ❤️ loved Rod for ever!!! I try and make every concert when he comes, it seems to always be around my birthday, I used to joke and say Rods coming for my birthday again ❤️💙

Mona63

I've liked his music since I was thirteen years old and I am almost 57. I saw him in a German show called Disco when he was performing ''Sailing''.

RodStewartfan1

You said it!!

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